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Oil to Cash: Fighting the Resource Curse with Cash Transfers

“Todd Moss, Caroline Lambert, and Stephanie Majerowicz offer a well-argued explanation of how oil-to-cash transfers could help countries overcome the corruption, economic volatility, and lack of government accountability that too often plague countries with rich resources but weak institutions.”
— Michael Ross, author of The Oil Curse: How Petroleum Wealth Shapes the Development of Nations

“Sharing oil revenues directly with citizens is one of those simple but powerful ideas that could help disrupt the low-level equilibrium that many resource-rich countries find themselves in. This book hits the sweet spot of synthesizing rigorous research on oil-to-cash and engaging readers in a compelling manner.”
— Shanta Devarajan, chief economist for the Middle East and North Africa region, World Bank

Oil to Cash explores one option to help countries with new oil revenue avoid the so-called resource curse: just give the money directly to citizens. A universal, transparent, and regular cash transfer would not only provide a concrete benefit to regular people, but would also create powerful incentives for citizens to hold their government accountable. Oil to Cash details how and where this idea could work and how policymakers can learn from the experiences with cash transfers in places like Mexico, Mongolia, and Alaska.

“An excellent discussion of a game-changing idea that has to be seriously considered by politicians and policymakers in oil-exporting countries all around the world.”
— Francisco Monaldi, visiting professor of energy policy, Harvard Kennedy School, and director, Center on Energy, IESA, Venezuela